Where the World’s Chinese Immigrants Live (Audio)

Chinese citizens are moving abroad in greater numbers than ever before, and the USA is their preferred Western destination.

Data from the United Nations Population Division shows 2.1 million people born in China were living in the USA in 2015.

Canada is the second most popular destination in the West, home to 710,000 Chinese, a figure that has more than quadrupled since 1990.

In total, 9.55 million people born in China lived in other countries in 2015 compared to 4.23 million 25 years ago.

Australia, Italy and the UK are the other Western nations in the top 10, with countries geographically closer to China also receiving a huge proportion of immigrants.

Hong Kong is the top receiving territory overall, with South Korea, Japan, Singapore and Macau also featuring in the top 10.

Wealthy Chinese investors are the main source of investment immigration related programs internationally, including the US EB-5, with individuals from China accounting for 80 per cent of the visas issued.

Similar statistics can be seen in Portugal, where some 2,500 out of 3,000 issued visas have gone to Chinese nationals.

Meanwhile, Canada’s federal investment immigration program is lagging behind the competition despite clear interest from Chinese citizens in moving to the country.

The Immigrant Investor Venture Capital (IIVC) Pilot Program, launched by the previous Conservative government, includes unrealistic stipulations that have seen Canada slip behind its rivals in the investment immigration field.

With the Liberal government planning infrastructure projects that will result in a budget deficit, a revamped investment-immigration program could be a lucrative way to close the spending gap.